No-Bake chocolate cheesecake recipe that is easy to make in just 20 minutes. This low-carb, keto chocolate cheesecake has a chocolate almond crust, creamy protein peanut butter filling, and a smooth chocolate ganache topping.
Cheesecake is a classic dessert able to please a crowd!
With or without eggs, baked or not baked, crust or crustless, it deserves a special spot among other treats for its contrasting layers and mild sweetness.
Our no-bake chocolate cheesecake has 3 layers of pure yumminess: A chocolate-almond crust, creamy peanut butter filling with whey protein, and a rich chocolate ganache.
It is low-carb, keto, gluten-free, high protein, and sugar-free!
An easy and super delish dessert that you can quickly put together, chill, and enjoy without hassle. It requires no baking and you slice it into bars!
You can make it all year round for barbecues, cookouts, casual celebrations, and of course, Father's day!
It is one of the best guilt-free desserts you'll ever have, making the dream dessert for chocolate lovers!
No-Bake Chocolate Cheesecake Recipe
There are several reasons to make this no-bake chocolate cheesecake recipe for different occasions, or just because:
- No oven required!
- Creamy peanut butter and chocolate-rich flavors!
- Contrasting textures and mild sweetness!
- Quick and easy prep!
- You can garnish this easy dessert recipe with a variety of toppings such as roasted ground peanuts, chocolate shavings, sugar-free chopped chocolate candy bars, berries, etc
- No cooking or baking skills are required!
- It's keto, low carb, gluten-free, sugar-free, and guilt-free!
- It requires no eggs like in a baked cheesecake as well as no jello and no condensed milk or cookies!
Ingredients and Substitutions
To make this keto chocolate cheesecake recipe you'll need about 9 ingredients:
Crust:
- Blanched almond flour: If you only have unbalanced almond flour at home, you can use it. It has the same rich almond flavor as blanched almonds although it will color your crust. But it won't be so noticeable because we will mix it with cocoa powder. If you are not on a keto diet, you may use cookie crumbs, either vanilla or chocolate for making a cookie crust. If using the latter, you can skip the cocoa powder. You may use a food processor for crumble the cookies!
- 100% Dutch cocoa powder: It has a rich and deep chocolate flavor but without the added sugar! For a mild chocolate flavor, use 100% natural cocoa powder!
- Sweetener: I used Truvia Sweetener, with Stevia Leaf, Calorie-Free, Confectioner's because I am on a low-carb diet but you can replace it with Confectioner's Erythritol, or even regular confectioner's sugar if you are not on a keto diet!
- Melted unsalted butter: You can replace it with coconut oil if you prefer!
Filling:
- Cream cheese: It must be a full-fat cream cheese at room temperature in order to blend well with the other ingredients and don't get a gritty texture. You may replace it with Neufchatel cream cheese if you prefer your cheesecake filling to have a tangy touch.
- Vanilla whey protein: Make sure to use that you really enjoy! But you can skip it although your chocolate cheesecake won't have as much protein as ours. You may use (a teaspoon) vanilla extract instead for flavoring the filling!
- Sweetener: The same that you use for the cheesecake crust!
- Sugar-Free creamy peanut butter: If you are not on a keto diet, you may use regular creamy peanut butter or another nut butter, or even Nutella.
Topping:
- Dark chocolate chips: Ours was sugar-free or keto, but you may use bittersweet, semi-sweet, or milk chocolate chips. Make sure they are of good quality to melt well and provide a smooth finish. Of course, you can replace chocolate chips with chocolate bars, but you'll have to chop them first before topping them with the hot heavy cream. For making a no-bake peanut butter cheesecake, skip the chocolate and heavy cream and simply use melted peanut butter for the topping.
- Heavy cream: It must be hot to place on top of the chocolate chips and make them melt to obtain a chocolate ganache.
How to Make No-Bake Chocolate Cheesecake
Keto Chocolate Cheesecake Crust:
- Lightly toast the almond flour in a medium skillet over medium heat, until golden and fragrant (2-4 minutes). Don't skip; otherwise, it will affect the flavor of the crust!
- Then, transfer the toasted almond flour to a small bowl and mix well in the cocoa powder, sweetener, and melted butter until combined.
- Line an 8x8-inch square cake pan with a large sheet of parchment paper (over the fold, in order to remove the cheesecake easily out of the pan and slice it into bars) and pour the crust mixture in. For making the lining of the pan easier, spray the pan with no-stick cooking spray.
- Distribute it well to form an even layer and press with the back of a spoon. Chill it in the fridge while you make the cheesecake filling.
Keto Chocolate Cheesecake Filling:
- Using a hand mixer, beat the cream cheese on medium speed until creamy in a medium bowl. Then, beat in the whey protein. Add the sweetener and beat again until fully combined. Add the peanut butter and beat again until the mixture is homogeneous and creamy.
- Pour the cream cheese mixture on top of the crust and gently smooth out to form an even layer. Place in the fridge and let it cool for about 15 minutes.
Low Carb Chocolate Ganache Topping:
- Place the chocolate chips in a separate bowl (heat-proof). Pour the hot heavy cream over and allow the chocolate to sit for 2 minutes or until softened. Stir well until fully melted and smooth.
- Let the melted chocolate mixture cool for a few minutes and carefully pour over the cheesecake filling. Smooth out to form an even layer. Top the edges around with toasted ground peanuts.
- Cover and chill the cheesecake for at least 4 hours before serving. It has to be firm and fully set before slicing! Lift the parchment paper in order to remove the cheesecake from the pan and make clean cuts by cleaning the knife before slicing every bar.
- Place the chocolate chips in a separate bowl (heat-proof). Pour the hot heavy cream over and allow the chocolate to sit for 2 minutes or until softened. Stir well until fully melted and smooth.
- Let the melted chocolate mixture cool for a few minutes and carefully pour over the cheesecake filling. Smooth out to form an even layer. Top the edges around with toasted ground peanuts.
- Cover and chill the cheesecake for at least 4 hours before serving. It has to be firm and fully set before slicing! Lift the parchment paper in order to remove the cheesecake from the pan and make clean cuts by cleaning the knife before slicing every bar.
What Kind of Chocolate is Best for Chocolate Cheesecake?
Always use good-quality chocolate for a rich, smooth finish. Some prefer chocolate bars over chocolate chips, but any will work!
Dark chocolate contains less sugar and more cocoa butter, melting smoothly much better. However, any type of chocolate will work if melted correctly!
How to Melt Chocolate In Microwave
For convenience, I prefer to melt chocolate in the microwave instead of a double boiler.
So if using chocolate bars instead of chocolate chips, chop them into small pieces to easily melt.
Then, Transfer to a microwavable glass bowl and heat in 30-seconds intervals mixing with a spoon between those intervals.
However, if you incorporate heavy cream with the chocolate to make a ganache, simply heat the cream and pour it over the chopped chocolate or chocolate chips and let it sit for 2 minutes before mixing until smooth.
Keto Chocolate Cheesecake Topping Options
We used toasted ground peanuts to garnish the topping, but here are other options:
- Whipped Cream
- Fresh Berries
- Caramel Sauce (if you're not on a low-carb diet)
- Mini chocolate chips
- Pipped (sugar-free) creamy peanut butter or Nutella
- Crushed (sugar-free) chocolate candy bars
- Crushed (keto) cookies
Tips for No-Bake Chocolate Cheesecake
- Swap out both the almond flour and cocoa powder for cookie crumbs, keto or not (e.g.Oreos) depending on your diet!
- Make sure your cream cheese is softened. This helps the cream cheese blend smoothly with the sweetener and peanut butter.
- Choose your favorite sweetener, but make sure it is confectioner's so it can dissolve quickly and be fully incorporated into the crust and filling.
- If using powdered sugar, sift it before mixing it into the batter; otherwise, you may get a clumped cheesecake filling. By sifting the powdered sugar, you create a very fine smooth powder that can easily blend into the cream cheese batter. Avoid using granulated sugar because this is a no-bake chocolate cheesecake. It won't dissolve well and will impart a gritty texture to the filling!
- Use good-quality chocolate! Semisweet chocolate is sweeter than bittersweet chocolate and must be used only if you are not on a low-carb diet! For making a white chocolate cheesecake, use white chocolate for the topping (not a low-carb dessert).
- Plan ahead to chill the cheesecake for at least 4 hours, or until set. If you cut into it too soon, your keto no-bake chocolate cheesecake will have more of a mousse consistency instead of a dense solid filling.
- You can also make this chocolate dessert recipe in an 8-inch round baking dish or springform pan.
Storage
You can make this keto no-bake chocolate cheesecake ahead of time, cover it, and store it in the fridge for up to 4-5 days.
You can also freeze for up to 60 days. Thaw in the fridge overnight before serving!
More Cheesecake Recipes
- Basque Burnt Cheesecake
- Banana Pudding Cheesecake Bars
- Chocolate Cheesecake Tart
- Cherry Cheesecake
- Chocolate Coconut Cheesecake Bars
- Apple Cheesecake
- Peach Melba Cheesecake
PIN & ENJOY!
No-Bake Chocolate Cheesecake (Keto)
Equipment
- 1 8 x 8-inch cake pan square
- Fridge
- 1 skillet
- 1 hand mixer
- 1 heat-proof bowl
- 1 Rubber Spatula
- 1 Mixing bowl
Ingredients
Crust:
- 1 cup blanched almond flour
- 1 ½ tablespoon 100% Dutch cocoa powder unsweetened
- 2 teaspoons Truvia Sweetener with Stevia Leaf, Calorie-Free, Confectioners, or Erythritol Confectionerers, or powdered sugar if you are not on a low-carb diet.
- 4 tablespoon melted unsalted butter or coconut oil
Filling:
- 18 oz cream cheese at room temperature (or 2 ¼ packages)
- 2 tablespoon vanilla whey protein about 1 scoop
- 2 tablespoon Truvia Sweetener (or Erythritol Confectioners) with Stevia Leaf, Calorie-Free, Confectioners OR ¼ cup Confectioner’s sugar, icing sugar, or powdered sugar (if not on a low-carb diet). If you prefer your cheesecake filling to be sweet, use about ⅓ cup of Erythritol Confectioners.
- 5 oz sugar-free creamy peanut butter about ⅔ cup
Topping:
- 1 cup dark chocolate chips sugar-free (but if not on a low-carb diet, use milk chocolate)
- 1 cup heavy cream hot (you may heat in the microwave for 90 seconds)
Garnish:
- Ground toasted peanuts for garnishing the top of the dessert, OPTIONAL
Instructions
Keto Chocolate Cheesecake Crust:
- Lightly toast the almond flour in a medium skillet over medium heat, until golden and fragrant (2-4 minutes). Don't skip; otherwise, it will affect the flavor of the crust!
- Then, transfer the toasted almond flour to a small bowl and mix well in the cocoa powder, sweetener, and melted butter until combined.
- Line an 8x8-inch square cake pan with a large sheet of parchment paper (over the fold, in order to remove the cheesecake easily out of the pan and slice it into bars) and pour the crust mixture in. For making the lining of the pan easier, spray the pan with no-stick cooking spray.
- Distribute it well to form an even layer and press with the back of a spoon. Chill it in the fridge while you make the cheesecake filling.
Keto Chocolate Cheesecake Filling:
- Using a hand mixer, beat the cream cheese on medium speed until creamy in a medium bowl. Then, beat in the whey protein. Add the sweetener and beat again until fully combined. Add the peanut butter and beat again until the mixture is homogeneous and creamy.
- Pour the cream cheese mixture on top of the crust and gently smooth out to form an even layer. Place in the fridge and let it cool for about 15 minutes.
Keto Chocolate Ganache Topping:
- Place the chocolate chips in a separate bowl (heat-proof). Pour the hot heavy cream over and allow the chocolate to sit for 2 minutes or until softened. Stir well until fully melted and smooth.
- Let the melted chocolate mixture cool for a few minutes and carefully pour over the cheesecake filling. Smooth out to form an even layer. Top the edges around with toasted ground peanuts.
- Cover and chill the cheesecake for at least 4 hours before serving. It has to be firm and fully set before slicing! Lift the parchment paper in order to remove the cheesecake from the pan and make clean cuts by cleaning the knife before slicing every bar.
Recipe Video
Recipe Notes
Nutrition
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Please note that health-focused and diet information provided on easyanddelish.com is for educational purposes and does not constitute medical advice, nor is it intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent disease. Consult with your doctor or other qualified health professional prior to initiating any significant change in your diet or exercise regimen, or for any other issue necessitating medical advice.
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